New York, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, May 20, 1998

May 20, 1998 · NWS ALY · 6 events in 4 counties and zones

During the afternoon of May 20, a cold frontal passage initiated several severe thunderstorms across eastern New York. The severe thunderstorms were mainly hail producers with some wind damage.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$9,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS ALY wrote it up.

During the afternoon of May 20, a cold frontal passage initiated several severe thunderstorms across eastern New York. The severe thunderstorms were mainly hail producers with some wind damage. At Long Lake in Hamilton County, damaging winds downed trees and wires. At Chestertown in Warren County, the storms produced nickel size hail. Across the Mid-Hudson Valley and southern Catskills, approximately 3,000 customers lost power.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton

When
May 20, 12:45 PM EST
Where
Hamilton County, Long Lake
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
43.970, -74.420

Hail, Washington

When
May 20, 3:30 PM EST
Where
Washington County, Putnam Station
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
43.730, -73.380

Hail, Warren

When
May 20, 3:48 PM EST
Where
Warren County, Chestertown
Measured
0.88 in hail
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
43.650, -73.820

Hail, Dutchess

When
May 20, 4:17 PM EST
Where
Dutchess County, Fishkill
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
41.530, -73.920

Hail, Dutchess

When
May 20, 4:19 PM EST
Where
Dutchess County, Beacon
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
41.500, -73.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Dutchess

When
May 20, 4:25 PM EST
Where
Dutchess County, Poughkeepsie
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
41.700, -73.930

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New York in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, May 1998

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5646892, 5646893, 5646894, 5646895, 5646896, 5646179.